Your 2013 Board of Directors:
President: Bob Bainbridge
Vice-President: Hunter Freeman
Treasurer: Jim Gilreath
Recording Secretary: Jeannine Smith
Membership: Joyce Murphy
Webmasters: Chad Chandler, Michael Huskey
Update on “Cottages on Townes” Meeting
The Greenville Planning Commission met Thursday afternoon (Jan 10) to review the application for ‘Cottages at Townes’, the newest subdivision in North Main. Much to the chagrin of many neighbors who spoke in opposition, the Commission, on advice from city staff, approved the application. Although many of the commission members stated they did not like what they saw, they felt that they had no choice but to approve it as it did meet the minimum city requirements.
(Editor’s note: “As one who was in attendance at the meeting, I was disappointed with the outcome which was based, I felt, on sketchy and questionable documentation. We have no idea what these “cottages” will look like…we were told the size (up to 4000 sq.ft.) and style (Craftsman? Victorian?) would be up to the individual buyers. If you look at the aerial photo above, you’ll see that this is a wooded area. The lots are small compared to many of the lots in this neighborhood. I sympathize not only for the adjacent neighbors who will be dramatically impacted, but for the wildlife who have precious little habitat left in the area, and with an estimated 80% impervious service in this development, will there even be room for replacement trees? Remember, replacement trees are not mandated by the city tree ordinance for single family residences and it seems to be the norm for developers to ‘clear cut’ areas to make it easier to develop, especially when we’re talking about large homes. It’s too bad trees and wildlife can’t pay taxes! Progress?? At what price?”)
Welcome to NMCA’s Newest Business Members
Catherine Smith Architect. LLC welcomes any project scale from whole houses to closets, renovations, additions and new construction. They provide client specific, crafted and creative solutions, improving the value of homes and the quality of lives. As she states on her blog, “I recognize that I will not make millions doing this work, but I hope to ultimately be fortunate enough to retire one day in a small home with a screened porch. I was born and raised in Spartanburg, educated at Clemson University, and am living in Greenville again with the best dog in the universe.”
Lil Glenn Company, LLC. Lil Glenn Company, LLC opened in 1992 in downtown Greenville SC in the historic Old Chamber building on Main Street “when buildings were vacant, windows were boarded, and pigeons or stray cats were the majority population”. Lil Glenn loves to talk shop about houses, past and present, development in Stone Avenue and the North Main Neighborhood. Lil Glenn Company focuses on homes for sale in Greenville, SC including downtown Greenville condos, Augusta Road real estate, and North Main homes.
North Main Building & Design are general contractors specializing in new home construction, custom built homes, renovation and commercial construction. They are a locally owned, family run business located at 201 W. Stone Ave., Greenville. They may be reached at 864.250.2837.
Newest Armored Invasion
If you’re a Greenville native, you may not be familiar with the critter pictured to the left. An armored invasion is underway across the Midwestern and eastern United States: Armadillos are moving into new territories once thought unsuitable for the warm-weather creatures. There are 20 known species of armadillo, but only one—the nine-banded armadillo—has ventured out of Latin America. The species arrived in Texas during the 1880s and has been spreading into new habitats ever since. In recent years the nine-banded armadillo has even established itself as far east as lower South Carolina and as far west as Illinois, and the animals are sometimes spotted in Indiana and Iowa. Armadillos cannot establish stable colonies if the average January temperature is below -2°C (28°F). They also require a constant source of water, at least 38 cm (15 inches) of precipitation annually. Some scientists have suggested that increasing temperatures due to climate change may be allowing armadillos to move into more habitats. The armadillo primarily feeds on ants, termites and other small invertebrate. It is a digger may be a nuisance to some area homeowners. When frightened, they tend to jump straight up so they seldom survive cars on the highway. If you don’t think that armadillos will ever make it in your neck of the woods, keep in mind that another South American mammal, the Virginia opossum, successfully invaded the United States despite the cold winters and physical barriers to range expansion. For the nine-banded armadillo, it looks like it’s Canada or bust! http://armadillo-online.org/expansion.html
City of Greenville K-9 Unit
At the December quarterly meeting of the Neighborhood Association Presidents, the Police Department showed off their K-9 unit. The following was reported by Jim Gilreath who attended the meeting: Dogs have been used for military purposes since WW1 with duties ranging from guard duty to search and rescue. Later skills in detection of drugs were emphasized and then detection of explosives. Dogs are especially well suited for these latter duties because they contain as many as 240 million odor receptors in their noses compared to 10 in human noses. This is why your dog knows when another dog is outside in the street even though your house is closed to the outside environment.
Most police and military dogs are purchased from sources in Europe, most notably Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium, because European breeders emphasize working skills rather than appearance and pet “personalities. Prices for these dogs range from $5,000 to over $15,000 and this only gets you the dog – he or she still has to be trained for their specific duty. The City of Greenville’s dogs cost about $6,500 each and, once trained, each dog represents a $30,000 investment. They have a working life of about 7 to 10 years and typically remain with their handler in their retirement. Their work is physically demanding and they are constantly being trained to maintain their high level of effectiveness. One of the most demanding aspects of their job is the stress on their spine as a result of jumping and hitting a target (suspect) at full speed. Spinal injuries account for the retirement of many of these dogs. As a working dog, they often are on duty for 12 or more hours per day and spend their day and night with their handler with whom they live. They work hard every day and many times are so tired by the time they go off duty that they go to sleep as soon as they get home and do not eat until they have rested several hours. They are not pets; they are police officers with fur. Their human partners often owe their lives to the actions of their dog; respecting and protecting them just as they would a human partner.
Crime Alert Update
This past week we issued an email alert about a break-in on Whitehall sometime New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. They broke in through a back window and stole a TV, jewelry, and other miscellaneous items. The police were notified and they are going to increase patrols in the area. We also had a report from a resident that a Christmas flag was stolen from their front porch over the holidays. After this was issued, another member reported on our Facebook page that 2 adult bikes were taken from a garage in the backyard on W Earle Street sometime the previous week.
This just emphasizes the need to be extra watchful for your own property and your neighbors. Holidays are the times of year when people are traveling and houses are often empty. You can bet that those looking to steal are watching and know when you are gone. Things like papers left in the driveway, mail piling up in the mailbox, no cars in the driveway, etc. are all dead giveaways that no one is home.
Neighborhood involvement is the key to a safe and secure community! Let’s put ‘Neighborhood Watch’ into action in North Main, especially around the holidays! For more information on protecting your home, go to http://police.greenvillesc.gov/protecting-your-home.aspx
Recycling Holiday Trees
The City of Greenville is once again sponsoring its annual “Grinding of the Greens” Christmas tree recycling program. For the convenience of city residents, trees can be placed at the curb for collection on regularly scheduled pick-up days or taken to one of four convenient locations for recycling. All trees must be free of debris such as ornaments, tinsel, ribbons and lights to be recycled. Drop-off locations include:
• Holmes Park (Twin Lake Road & Holmes Drive) • Timmons Park (Oxford Street & Blackburn Street) • Gower Park (Laurel Creek Lane & Laurens Road) • West Greenville Community Center (8 Rochester Street)
The locations listed above will be open through January 20, 2012. Curbside pick-up within the city limits will continue for as long as needed. Trees and trimmings are ground into mulch, which can be picked up free of charge at Twin Chimneys Landfill from 9:00 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Call the Twin Chimneys Landfill at (864) 243-9672 for more information.
All holiday boxes, tissue paper and wrapping paper (except foil-lined) can be recycled at the curb and at the City’s Recycling and Environmental EducationCenter at 800 East Stone Avenue. Visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/publicworks/AboutRecycling.aspx to learn more about the City’s recycling programs.
Weather Tidbits
According to climate data, the average maximum temperature for Greenville in January is 51°F, the average low is 31.1°F and the average precipitation is 4.07”. The record maximum for the period 1962-2006 was 79°F on Jan 31, 1975. The record minimum was -6°F on Jan 30, 1966. Record high rainfall was in 1979 with 7.19”. Record minimum precipitation was 0.29” back in 19681. Average snowfall in January is 2.2”. The highest recorded for this period was 12” back in 1988. On January 7, 1988, a winter storm produced an unofficial report of 27” in Bad Creek and 40” drifts at Caesar’s Head. Don’t expect to see amounts like that this year.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html http://www.dnr.sc.gov/climate/sco/index.php
Confused Hummingbirds?
Ruby-throats (our primary species) arrive in late March or early April; they typically leave in September or October. We’ve heard reports of hummingbirds being sighted as last as this week. (In response, I retrieved my feeder from storage, quickly made fresh solution and put my feeder back out). According to “Hummingbird Journey North” website, as recently as January 3, there were reports from Charlotte, NC. An interesting site for anyone interested in migration of birds and other species is Journey North . Journey north engages citizen scientists in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share their own field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, gray whales, bald eagles— and other birds and mammals; the budding of plants; changing sunlight; and other natural events. Find migration maps, images, standards-based lesson plans, activities and information to help students make local observations and fit them into a global context. Widely considered a best-practices model for education, Journey North is the nation’s premiere citizen science project for children. The general public is welcome to participate.
Flash From the Past
Here are two ‘new’ old photographs for you to identify…
From Last Month:
S
ince the editor had no idea where this photo was taken, we were relying on our readers to help out. One member wrote in that he recognized this house as being near his current residence. That would make the address 333 West Earle Street. I drove by and it looks possible, assuming some remodeling to the house since the time this photo was taken. Anyone else out there who agrees with this location?
“I am,” John T. Woodside said in 1917, “the richest man in Greenville.” And he probably was. As president of the Woodside Cotton Mills, he and his three brothers owned the 112,000-spindle Woodside Mill in Greenville, “the largest complete cotton mill in the United States,” the Fountain Inn Manufacturing Co., Simpsonville Mill, Easley Cotton Mills, the Farmers and Merchants National Bank, the Woodside National Bank, the B
ank of Woodville, the Citizens Bank of Taylors, the Farmers Loan and Trust Co. and Woodside Securities. All that cash needed a home, and Woodside wanted a downtown monument. He got one. On Dec. 24, 1919, accompanied by his brothers, he announced “Greenville’s Greatest Christmas Present.” Woodside Securities would construct a skyscraper on the site of an old barbershop on the east side of South Main Street midway between Washington Street and McBee Avenue. With 17 stories, it would be the tallest building in the two Carolinas. It took three years, many consultations and $1.25 million before the Woodside Building was finished. A New York architectural firm supplied the plans; the Manhattan engineers who had worked on the Woolworth Building, then the tallest in the world, lent their advice. Somewhere along the way, architects realized that a building in Raleigh might be taller than the 180-foot structure they envisioned, so they added a rooftop garden and parapet for boasting rights. (Its final official height was 190 feet, 6 inches. Take that, Raleigh!) (From Judith Bainbridge, http://destination.greenvilleonline.com/woodside-building/ )
For interesting information about Greenville historic sites and history, check out Upstate Forever’s “Special Places Inventory for Greenville County”, the result of a grant in August, 2005.
Calendar
City Council Formal Meeting and Work Session schedules can be found at http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_government/meet.asp
The Hughes Main Library has numerous programs for adults and children. Check out their January Calendar
Don’t forget about a great local resource for family activities. Macaroni Kid lists all kinds of local activities for kids and families.
Greenville County Museum of Art – The Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm and on Sundays 1 – 5 pm. As always, admission is free. The Greenville Collection is now the largest and the most complete collection of Andrew Wyeth’s watercolors owned by any public museum in the world. Discover this magnificent collection of works by America’s iconic watercolor master. Highlights include Four Poster and Dusk.
Now through April 7 – Looking Through the Lens: A Photographic History of Greenville. Upcountry History Museum. Explore Greenville through a century of photographs. See how it has gone from a small town with dirt roads and horse-drawn carriages to the vibrant, bustling city it is today. Notable people, businesses, and events are chronicled through historic images, and bygone street scenes are paired with modern views of the city.
January– Ice on Main remains open through January 21, 2013, from 11am – 10pm. Greenville’s only outdoor rink will incorporate new features this season such as increased spectator areas and original student artwork. Clear dasher boards will also be installed to enhance rink visibility. Follow us on twitter@IceOnMain to learn about upcoming events and opportunities to win free tickets! In front of the Courtyard Marriott. Telephone: 864-467-4491 Admission: $10 adults/$8 children 12 or under.
January 15 – Upstate Native Plant Society Meeting. 7:00 pm. Southern Wesleyan Univ., Central. “The Clemson Experimental Forest: An Update on Resources and Activities”
January 19 – Greenville News Run Downtown. 9am – 12pm. Main St at Broad St.The Greenville News Run Downtown is the only 5k that runs down Main Street in Greenville, SC…rain or shine, cold or warm. 864-298-4416.
January 29 – Circus Animal Walk. 9am – 11am. West Washington Street from Train Station to Richardson St, Richardson St from Washington St to Elford St, Elford St from Richardson St to Church St, Church St from Elford St to BILO Center VIP Parking Lot.
For other community events, check the Greenville City calendar
Or, the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau
Winter Programs at Greenville Community Centers
Program Instructors Needed
The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department is seeking instructors to offer fun and exciting recreational and educational classes to our community. Our department offers a wide variety of recreational programs to citizens of all ages. These programs take place in city parks, community centers and other locations. For a full listing of programs visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/RecPrograms.aspx
Winter 2012-2013 Program Schedule
For additional information about each of the programs listed below, call the contact number or visit http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/RecPrograms.aspx
AARP Tax Assistance
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Fridays (only), February 8 – April 12, 2013 Time: 8:30 am – Noon Cost: Free Ages: 18 years or older Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Ballroom Line Dancing
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Tuesdays, January 8-February 12, 2013 Time: 7-8 pm Cost: Residents – $5 per class or $32 for 6 week session; Non-Residents – $6 per class or $40 for 6 week session Ages: Adult Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Beginner Sewing Lessons 101
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Saturdays, January 26, February 2 & 9, 2013 Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Cost: Residents – $100; Non-residents: $125 Ages: Adult Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Beginner Sewing Lessons 102
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Saturdays, February 16, February 23 and March 2, 2013 Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Cost: City of Greenville Residents – $100; Non-residents: $125 Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Beginner Watercolor Painting
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Saturdays, January 12, 19, 26 & February 2, 9, 16 2013 Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm Cost: City of Greenville Residents – $90; Non-residents: $110 Ages: Adult; Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12 Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Boys/Girls Teen Club
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Wednesdays, January 2 & 16; February 6 & 13 & 20; March 6 & 13, 2013 Time: 5:30-7 pm Cost: Free Ages: 13-16 Contact: 864-467-4330
Downtown Line Dancing
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Wednesdays, December 6 – January 31, 2013 Time: 6:15–8 pm Cost: Residents – $5 per class or $32 for 6 week session; Non-Residents – $6 per class or $40 for 6 week session Ages: Adult Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Greenville International Folk Dancing
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Mondays, January 7 – February 25, 2013 Time: 7–9 pm Cost: Residents/College Students – $3 per class or $20 for 8 week session; Non-Residents – $4 per class or $24 for 8 week session Ages: Adult Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Happy Feet Dance Program
The City of Greenville’s Happy Feet Dance Program is held at the Nicholtown Community Center and includes dance for ages 2-12. The contact for our Happy Feet Program is Katrina Wofford, and she can be reached at 864-467-4330.
Homeschool Fitness
Location: Bobby Pearse Community Center Dates: Wednesdays; January 23 – March 20, 2013 Time: 9:45–10:45 am (6-12 year olds); 11 am–Noon (13-18 year olds) Cost: City Residents – $20; Non-Residents – $25 (multi-child discounts available) Ages: 6-12 & 13-18 Contact: 864-467-4331 Registration: Register Online
Jewelry Making
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Tuesdays, January 15 – February 19, 2013 Times: 6-8 pm Cost: Residents – $60; Non-Residents – $75 Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Kickball (Co-Ed)
Location: N. Main Rotary Park Dates: Sundays, January 13–March 10; 1–4 pm (9 weeks) Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-8011 Registration: Register Online
Lindy Hop
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Thursdays, December 6 – February 28, 2013 (12 weeks) No class on Dec 27. Times: 7-11 pm Cost: Residents/College Students/Lindy Hop Members – $4 per class or $40 for 12 week session; Non-Residents – $5 per class or $50 for 12 week session Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Pickleball
Location: Gower Park Dates: Saturdays, (On-going) Times: 9:30 am–Noon Cost: This program is FREE to try. A $10 quarterly fee is due if you continue. Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-8011
Senior Softball
Location: Cleveland Park Dates: Tuesdays Times: 10am – Noon (on-going) Cost: Free Ages: Senior Adults (55+) Contact: 864-467-8011
Shag
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Thursdays; January 17 – February 21, 2013 Times: 5:30–6:30 pm class instruction Cost: Residents – $24 a couple and Non-Residents – $30 a couple Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Study Buddies After-School Program
Location: Bobby Pearse Community Center, David Hellams Community Center, Nicholtown Community Center, West Greenville Community Center Dates: After school on weekdays, from Jan. 2-June 6, 2012 Times: 5:30–6:30 pm class instruction Cost: $54, city residents get a 20% discount Ages: school age children Registration: Register Online beginning at 8 am Monday, Nov. 12.
Upsouth Volleyball
Location: Greenville Middle School Dates: Days & Times Vary Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-8008
Winter Yoga
Location: Bobby Pearse Community Center Dates: Mondays, January 7 – March 4, 2013 No class on Monday, February 11 Times: 6:30–7:45 pm Cost: City Resident – $32 for entire 8-week session or $5 per class; Non-Resident – $40 for entire 8-week session or $6 per class Ages: Adults Contact: 864-467-4331 Registration: Register Online
Zumba
Location: Sears Recreation Center Dates: Tuesdays, January 8 – February 26, 2013 Times: 5:30–6:30 pm Cost: City Resident – $28 for entire 8-week session or $4 per class; Non-Resident – $35 for entire 8-week session or $5 per class Ages: Adult Contact: 864-467-4326 Registration: Register Online
Community Center Rental
Planning a special event like a wedding reception, birthday, anniversary or family reunion? Why not have your events at the Sears Recreation Center? It is conveniently located in McPherson Park at the corner of North Main Street and E. Park Avenue (100 E. Park Avenue).
Some of the Community Center features are:
- Kitchen
- Restrooms
- Handicapped accessible
- Piano
- Banquet tables & chairs
- Plenty of parking
- Sound system
Contact Jan Cox at 864-467-4326 or jbcox@greenvillesc.gov for more information and availability.
The City of Greenville Parks and Recreation is working with LiveWell Greenville to promote healthy eating among our athletes. Watch this short video to learn more about eating healthy snacks at youth sports!
The use of trade names or advertisements in this publication does not constitute endorsement or discrimination by the North Main Community Association.
